Gears of War: Suicide Metals
by Raven Thornheart
Summary: Steven Michale Bradshaw is on a court marshall trial. This is the story of his bravery against impossible odds in the fight to defend Banard City from complete locust invasion. Please R


**Gears of War: Suicide Metals**

Four stone pillars surrounded him with three semi circular tables on both sides and in front of him, seating the darkened faces of the prosecution, judge, jury and they might as well be the executioners. Spectators sat in the lecture hall like seats. The air was tense as hundreds of eyes looked on him. His skin felt like it was pelted by the gaze of angry and disappointed eyes. The bright flood light shined down on him as he looked down. His chrome handcuffs were shining brightly as he stood on the stand. They might as well have strung him up to a pole and hurl bricks at him, but his torment was to be mental.

"Sergent Steven Michael Bradshaw..." One of the many darkened faces sitting around him in the circular table said. "You are charged for endangering and killing your squad in the battle of Banard City." The man said in a cold demeanor. "AWOL, insubordination, and assault on a high ranking officer."

Bradshaw stared at his feet, accepting the accusations. He thought of his fallen team. The team he led into the spear head of the locust attack to plug up a locust emergence hole before heavy artillery was pulled up and endangered more than just them, but millions in the city.

_BAM!_

One the men in front of Bradshaw slammed his fist on the desk and shot up from his seat with a finger pointing at Bradshaw. His voice boomed through out the court room. "YOU DIDN'T JUST KILL THEM! YOU MURDERED THEM!"

Bradshaw looked up at him with anger in his eye...

_Two years after E-day…_

The black hawk flew along side two of its fellow birds as they bugged out of a small town and away from heavy locust fire. The bullets pelted off the dense armor of the chopper. Bradshaw looked out of the side and back at the small burning town. Over three hundred civilians were lost in a surprise attack at lasted two hours. Now the streets are filled with chunks of human parts and flesh. Blood flowed like a river into the drains as the wretches feasted on the bodies of the dead or dying.

"Hot damn Bradshaw." The pilot said with a strong southern accent. "You should be dead by now son."

"Yeah, but I'm not." Bradshaw said. His voice was full of emptiness as he looked at the landscape. The screams of soon to be executed civilians faded away slowly. "Are we headed back to command?" He asked as he checked his MGT-45 assault rifle. It held sixty rounds and had a spike grenade attachment with it.

"Yeah, intel says that Banard City has been under attack for a week now with random locust holes popping up. You're most likely to be sent there." The pilot replied as he checked his gauges and flipped a few switches. "Hottest damn city that I know of and it's crawling full of them damned locusts."

Bradshaw looked out at the vast empty fields once more. "Shit..."

"Damn Locust...I tell ya that I have never seen things so damn ugly before in my life Sergeant, but command might have a way to stop them from coming up everywhere."

"And what might that be?" Bradshaw replied as he lit up a cigarette.

"Dunno yet, but they are working on something."

"_Bradshaw, you still there man?" _A voice came over Bradshaw's com.

"Yeah Forest, I'm still here. Tell Ronnie that he'll be home soon to see his daughter."

"_...Ronnie is dead sir." _

Once again the pain hit Bradshaw; another human...another one of his men. A father and loving husband is now dead at the hands of the locust. In this war for him so far were no battles, just attacks that sprung up. Attacks that were quick and deadly and without a quick mind, he could be one of the many with missing Cog tags and a close casket funeral.

"...Collect his tags Forest..."

"_Roger that..."_

The hawks made it back to base without a problem and landed in the LZ. They were met by medics and Hoffman. Bradshaw stepped out of the hawk and stood at attention. "At ease soldier." Hoffman said as he looked at the dead being carried away off the choppers. "My god."

"Three died on the way back and the rest were lost in the field." Bradshaw said as Forest walked up. "Sir, are we headed to Banard City?"

Hoffman looked at him once more. "Damn right you are son. You are now part of Delta soldier and I have three fine young men lined up for you. You'll meet them in the City. For now, get some R&R. You move out first thing tonight."

"Yes sir." Bradshaw said as he turned to Forest. "Banard City it is."

"Damn..." Forest said as he looked at the covered bodies of the dead.

_xxxx_

"Four men against a mass of locust? Hundreds...thousands of them and you decide to rush right at them?!" Another man yelled out. "You're orders were to hold at the walls until further instructed Sergeant, but you moved on the locust."

"I did what was needed to save a majority of the Army sir-"

"What you did was in excusable and reckless." A female voice cut him off. "You don't understand how lucky you are to be alive. You should be dead with the rest of the men you took with you, but no. The man that leads three upstanding soldiers to their deaths is still standing among us."

"I had to stop them from acquiring massive siege weaponry, that-"

"That we would have called an air strike on, problem fixed and three good men would have probably been still alive today!" Another man yelled out. "Your actions are what led you here, Sergeant!"

Bradshaw stood silent as he felt the eyes concentrate on him harder, almost suffocating him. The white hot light he stood under left a shadow on the distinct features of his face as he continued to look down at the ground.

_xxxx_

Bradshaw woke up to the light of a lantern in the tent he was resting in. He sat up and the feeling of numbness was still with him, as if life didn't matter that much anymore. He was different than many of the Cogs in the fact that he had no past family. The Army was his family and his soldiers were his brothers and he has lost many.

His thick boots hit the dusty dirt ground as he stood up from the small bed. He stretched his bulky built body and let out a yawn. It had been a couple months since he got sleep like that, most of the time he would be on the look out for locust or on patrol through streets. He looked over at the entrance as Forest stepped in.

"Good, you're up. The bird's waitin' for us." He said as he looked at Bradshaw.

"Right." Bradshaw replied as he began to suit his armor back up. Forest was a private who just joined the army. His family was killed in one of the first attacks and he became a stranded afterwards until he joined. He was well built with long black hair and a determined look in his eye. Bradshaw knew him as one of his best men.

"I asked Hoffman to put me in your squad. He agreed..." Forest said with caution, knowing that Bradshaw wouldn't want him to throw himself into danger.

"Good, because I need a man like you out on the field with me." Bradshaw said as he picked up his assault rifle and looked at Forest who had a grin on his face. "Now let's move out soldier, we've got some locust ass to kick."

"Yes sir!" Forest said as he left the tent.

Bradshaw grinned and walked out into the night and toward the black hawks that bathed in the bright white flood lights. Soldiers filled the insides of them as he walked up toward one.

"_Bradshaw!"_

Bradshaw stopped and saw Hoffman walk up to him. "Yes sir?" He said as Hoffman stopped in front of him.

"You are to report to General Moore when you touch down. He'll be giving orders and I expect you to follow all of them without question soldier."

Bradshaw knew of General Moore and his ways of combat. He hadn't been able to defend against locust attacks where ever he was and Bradshaw didn't like that he would be under his command. "Permission to speak freely, sir."

"Granted, what is it soldier?"

"Why is General Moore head of defense at such a top priority area? He hasn't been able to defend other areas he's been assigned to sir."

"I understand that Bradshaw, but we have no other choice right now. Locusts are kicking our asses everywhere we try to hold and we only have a handful of cities that we can hold. Hold off any more attacks to the city and command will bring in someone else who can formulate an attack plan, until then you must do as ordered. I trust in your skill so go out there and do what you do best soldier."

"Sir, yes sir!" Bradshaw said as he turned and stepped into the dark chopper. The motivating words of Hoffman didn't have much of an effect on him, it was the same shit, different day. Command wasn't the fastest and most reliable people and he didn't feel like gambling his life on if they would come through or not, but none the less he was to serve at Banard City.

The birds lifted off and into the dark night sky. The chopper was filled with small talk about families and friends, homes and battles. Bradshaw took part in none of them for he was afraid to get close to anyone at this point of his life. They would all end up the same way every time.

"Hey Sarge!" One of the soldiers called to gain Bradshaw's attention. "Do you think Banard City is as bad as they say?"

"Hell if I know. I know that I want you to go in there and kill me some locust. Can you do that?" He said as he looked at the young soldier.

"I was born to kill these sons of bitches sir."

"Good." Bradshaw said with a grin as he looked back out of the chopper. He had joined the Army when his was eighteen, four years before E day. To this day he believes that humans don't stand a chance against them, but as long as he can fight he will to protect his race as long as possible.

An hour later they came in view of the large city. Beautiful skyscrapers that amazed many were now leaning towers of rust. The streets were lit by flood lights and barrel fires. Bradshaw could make out stranded camps and Cog camps as they passed over.

"So this is Banard City huh?" A soldier said as he looked out the side. "More like a dump than a top priority area."

"Hey, we have orders so this dump is what we have to defend." Another answered. "Actually this place used to be one of the most populated cities there were, but now it's filled with strandeds."

"Lovely and how much of the city is ours?"

"Enough to breathe." Bradshaw said. "But emergence holes can pop up everywhere at anytime. We aren't safe anywhere really, but we are prepared. So think of it this way, you slack, you die. Simple as that."

_BOOM!_

Bradshaw jumped at the sound of the explosion behind him. He turned to see the other chopper with thick black smoke and fire pouring from it's tail. "Shit!" Another rocket passed by Bradshaw's chopper. "RPG!!"

"_Mayday mayday! This is Two one! This is two one! I've been hit by enemy fire! ...Ah shit! I can't keep her up! I have to make an emergency landing!" _

The chopper veered off to the left and into an open area of the city as Bradshaw's chopper continued forward. Bradshaw watched the chopper fall out of his sight and turned to the pilot. "Turn this mother fucker around and help them!"

"No can do sir, we have a full chopper!" The pilot called back.

"Well let's give them support and call for another hawk!"

"My orders were to bring you to Cog HQ here in Banard and-"

"I don't give a damn about your orders! There are men that could still be alive out there damnit!" Bradshaw yelled in protest. He was losing his patients quickly and losing time on saving his men. They weren't directly under his command, but they were his brothers and he'd be damned to leave them to die.

"Look, I can't-" His words were cut off by Bradshaw's assault rifle pressing against the back of his head. Sweat rolled down the side of his face as the cold metal made his neck hairs stand on end.

"Turn this bird around and head back...now!" Bradshaw ordered with a threatening tone of voice.

"So you would shoot me and kill us all?" He said with a small quiver in his voice, hinting fear. The rest of the soldiers in the chopper were silent as they watched.

"Either we all make it there, or we all die on the way. How do you want it soldier?" Bradshaw threatened as he pressed the rifle to the back of the pilots head even harder. "I've been fighting this war for two years now and dyin' by my own hands doesn't sound so bad."

After a few seconds the chopper turned back around and headed toward the crash site. Bradshaw put his rifle down and pressed on his com. "Forest!? Report!" Only static came over the com. "Shit..."Forest...give me a god damn sit rep!"

"_...Ahh...I'm still alive sir. We have a few injured..."_

"_...Johnson's dead!"_

"_Shit! Our pilot has been KIA...We are in the park." _Gun fire erupted in the background. _"Fuck! Contact! Multiple enemies! Locusts' drones are closing in on our position and we need support! KEEP THAT LEFT SIDE DOWN!!"_

"Hang in there Forest! We are on our way!" Bradshaw turned to the rest of the soldiers. "Alright, load up! You three," He pointed to three soldiers. "I want you to help load wounded onto this bird. The rest of you cover them and protect this bird!" Bradshaw turned to the pilot. "I want you to radio in for another bird to evac us ASAP from the city park."

"Roger that." The pilot turned on his com. "Two nine to HQ, two nine to HQ...over."

Bradshaw turned to the rest of the soldiers. "Keep it tight and keep it hot. I don't want you to aim at these ugly bastards. I just want you to throw more bullets at them than they throw at us. Keep their heads down and call out any new targets. Do you understand?"

"YES SIR!" Everyone called out as the sounds of cocking and loading filled the chopper.

"We are going in hot!" The pilot called out as he swung around the park. Tracer bullets lit up the dark park as they made their decent to the ground next to the smoking chopper. Bullets ricocheted off the thick armor of the chopper.

"MOVE MOVE MOVE!!" Bradshaw yelled as the men piled, firing at the approaching locusts and forcing them to take cover. Bradshaw jumped out and felt an all too familiar feeling once more. His heart was racing and his movements were sharper, the adrenaline rush of combat, where you know that you could die at any moment.

His metal armor hit a torn wall of what once was a public restroom as dust and dirt were thrown past his vision from the spinning blades of the chopper. Bullets pelted his cover as he stuck his gun out in a blind aim and fired. Enemy fire slowed up some on his position as he peaked out. One of the drones was swinging a grenade and was about to throw it. Bradshaw jumped out and fired, scoring with two shots into the creatures chest and one in it's head that took a nice chuck away from it's skull. It dropped in a heap with the grenade still armed in it's hand.

"_GRENADE!" _A drone yelled in it's inhuman voice, but it's warning was too little too late as the grenade went off. Chunks of locust flesh and body parts flew everywhere with blood painting surrounding furnishings and cement paths. Two other men moved up to give more suppressive fire.

Suddenly an ear deafening scream filled the air and Bradshaw knew the sound all too well and wish he hadn't heard it at the time. "Oh shit...WRETCHES!" He called out as he saw tons of them rush toward their position.

The chopper lifted as it was filled with the last wounded soldier. Another hawk circled the park and came in for a landing. Bradshaw looked up and saw it, then down at the two men that were firing at the wretches.

"Die mother fuckers! I was born to kill all you ugly sons of bitches!!" One of the soldiers yelled in a sick joy as the wretches closed the gap.

Bradshaw remembered the voice of the kid on the bird and knew it was him, but he was in a deadly spot now. One of the soldiers started to back off while firing, but the kid wouldn't back down as he reloaded and fired wildly into the mass of rushing wretches. Suddenly one of the wretches jumped up from behind the debris the soldiers were using as cover and swung it's razor sharp claws.

"No!" Bradshaw yelled as he jumped out from his cover, but he was met with a wet slap of thick crimson red blood on his face as the boys head was ripped open. The feeling was there once more...the pain in his chest as if a piece of him was taken. The boy's body hit the ground with blood spilling from his helmet and pelting the ground.

The other soldier was trying to make a quick run back to the rest of the soldiers as the wretch leaped into the air with bad intentions for the soldier, but suddenly it was hit with a spike in it's chest that threw it back into the mass of wretches. Suddenly a mass of flesh and body parts were hurled into the air, flying through the pink reddish mist until hitting the ground with a sick wet thud.

Bradshaw loaded another grenade spike into his launcher as the hawk landed as blood dripped from the tip of his nose. Soldiers started to pile in as Bradshaw made his way toward the chopper, sending heavy cover fire into the crowd of wretches. Bradshaw turned and booked for the chopper, but another soldier fell in front of him.

"Shit! Shit!" The soldier scuffled to get to his feet, but felt a strong grip on the back of his armor lift him and push him into the chopper. "Whoa!" He looked back to see Bradshaw jump into the chopper.

"TAKE OFF, NOW!" Bradshaw quickly reloaded and sent a rain of bullets into oncoming wretches. Finally the hawk lifted off the ground and into the air. Bradshaw looked at the fading wretches until they were out of his sight. He could hear his heart beating and his mouth was dry. He was stiff with adrenaline and fear. He always felt fear in battle, but it wasn't a cowering fear. It was the fear that made heroes in wars. The fear the made men fight for their life without second guessing his actions. The same fear that kept him alive for two years. Bradshaw felt a hand on his soldier as he looked back.

"You alright man?" Forest asked.

"I've had my better days." Bradshaw said as he put his rifle down. He though of the boy that showed no fear while fighting the wretches. Men with no fear are the ones that die faster than the ones with it, but Bradshaw saw that kid as a true hero. He hailed the boy's words as true. He really was born to kill locusts, but now he rests in peace. He won't have to worry about killing them anymore. He played his part in the war and now gets to rest forever. Bradshaw pulled out a canteen and threw water on his face to wash away the blood that gave him a crimson mask. The deluded red blood dripped from his nose.

"Thanks for saving us back there." Forest said as he lit up a cigarette. "I was sure that we were dead."

"I had to put my gun to the back of the pilots head to make him turn around." Bradshaw pulled out a pack of cigarettes and took one out. His mind and body eased up as he took a hit after he lit it up.

Finally they reached HQ. It was a average sized office building at wasn't too tall, but not too wide. Some of it was torn down from the massive bombs let off after E day to prevent Locust advancement. They landed on the roof top and Bradshaw piled out of the chopper with the soldiers and were met by more soldiers.

"Sergent Bradshaw?" One said as he looked at him. His uniform was that of a Lieutenant in the Army. He stood in front of two other Privates.

"Yeah?" Bradshaw said as he discarded the finished cigarette.

"I'm Lieutenant Benson. General Moore wants to see you at once." He said as he turned and led Bradshaw into the building.

The inside was as bad as the outside. It had an old moldy smell to it with the walls discolored from two years of rain corrosion. The halls were lit with flood lights and soldiers walked up and down with rifles ready. Finally Bradshaw was taken to a huge cleared out office with few tables and chairs left. One table was surrounded by soldiers and on it were tons of papers.

"Sir, Sergent Bradshaw is here." Benson said as Moore turned around.

"And you!" Moore yelled in anger. "How dare you threaten my orders and threaten a pilot's life!"

"I wasn't leaving my men behind to die, sir. If that means fuck your orders, then I'm sorry, but fuck em." Bradshaw said; standing his grounds with the General.

"You're pushing your luck Bradshaw and so far lady luck has been suckin' your dick for the past two years. I don't give a damn if you are in Hoffman's great graces, you are under my command and if you dare disobey them; I'll have you shot on the spot." Moore seethed at Bradshaw. Bradshaw said nothing, but showed no fear as he peered into Moore's eyes. "Anyways," Moore said as he looked back at the soldiers. "These are your men Bradshaw. Matt Baker over here." A teenager stepped up at looked at Bradshaw.

Bradshaw was surprised to see such a young boy geared up. The boy had his hair in a mess of spikes and his build was a bit on the thin side. "How old are you?"

"Eighteen sir." He replied in a young voice.

Bradshaw turned to Moore. "Look, I'm here to lead and not babysit. This kid is too young."

"I'm the best marksman the Gears have." The boy said in an insisting tone of voice.

Bradshaw turned back to him. "You shouldn't be fighting kid. You have more going on for you than you realize in life. That and you don't look like you could hit the broad side of a barn-"

_BANG!_

A soda can flew into the wall after a precise bullet went through it. Smoke seeped from Baker's revolver as he looked at Bradshaw's facial expression. "I can't hit what?"

Bradshaw stood corrected. "Alright, so maybe you can kill some locusts. Still you're too young for me, but I'll do it because you want to get yourself killed." Bradshaw saw a grin come onto the boys face. "Who else?"

"Jordan Jackson." Moore said as a rather large light skinned African American stepped up.

"Jordan 'The Devil' Jackson right?" Bradshaw said with a sly grin.

Jordan grinned. "Damn right, sir."

Bradshaw knew of the man from Pro Freestyle Fighting. He was the heavyweight champion for two years. "Didn't think you'd be in my squad and I have to thank you for winning me fifteen hundred bucks about four years ago."

"No problem. Glad to be, sir."

"Lastly we have Jose Mendoza." Moore said as a bulky Latino man stepped up.

"Glad to be on your squad, sir." He said as he shook Bradshaw's hand. "Is it true that you hold the highest kill count on locusts in the Army sir?"

"I don't know, lost count at four hundred." Bradshaw said as he heard Stevens whistle as he was impressed. "And what about orders?" He said as he looked at Moore.

"You are to head downtown to Platoon B's camp and await further orders from there. There are a couple of stranded check points along the way, so don't take any shit from them."

"What makes you think I'd take their shit if I don't take yours," Bradshaw replied. "Sir."

Moore shot a look at hatred at him and looked back at the table. "Get the fuck outta here Sergeant." Moore seethed.

"Yes sir. Come on boys." Bradshaw said as he walked out of the room.

They stepped outside into the debris filled streets. Fires lit the streets as soldiers walked in squads on patrol. "The General doesn't like you that much, does he?" Mendoza said as he walked next to Bradshaw.

"No, but I really don't care for the asshole." Bradshaw said as he pulled out his pack of cigarettes and saw he was out. "Shit..." He looked at Mendoza who had his pack out and offering a cigarette. "Thanks." He said as he took one and lit it up.

"So you killed over four hundred locusts?" Baker said as he walked up next to Bradshaw on his other side.

"Yep and they still keep coming." He said with a drag. "We have no chance of winning against these fuckers."

"What makes you say that?" Mendoza said. "You might as well lay down your weapon and die."

"A man doesn't lay down and die. He fights until he dies because he refuses to lose, even when everything looks grim." Bradshaw said. "So as long as I'm still alive, I'll kill another four hundred more."

They made it away from the HQ by a couple of blocks. Fires were here and there as they walked down the street.

"God damn I don't like this shit." Jordan said as he looked around. "So these locusts are able to come out of anywhere?"

"Yeah and storm our asses, so stay toasty." Baker said as he held his shotgun close. "Anyone holding frags?"

"I am and don't worry, I'll plug em up." Bradshaw said as he to another drag of the cigarette. "You guys got families?" Bradshaw asked as he checked his assault rifle.

"Big J here ain't got no family, but his mom." Baker said with a slight chuckle.

"I think I could have told him my self." Jordan replied. "Baker has an army of brothers and sisters. What was the numbers again?"

"Nine brothers and five sisters." Baker replied. "My father is a retired Army Sergeant and my mother is sick with cancer." Baker chuckled some. "I'm the only on in my family that is serving in the Army. I don't know where half of my family is after we lost contact after E day."

"Damn." Mendoza said as he flicked his cigarette. "My mother and father died on E day and my wife was slaughtered by the locusts..."

"So you joining this force was just to get revenge?" Bradshaw said with another drag of his cigarette.

"Damn right and I've been doing it for a little over a year now." Mendoza said as he looked at a dark building.

"Before you seek revenge, you should bury two graves." Bradshaw said as he flicked his cigarette after a final drag.

"Shit, I should bury hundreds." Mendoza seethed.

"Contact!" Jordan cried as he took aim at a figure near rubble.

Everyone took aim at the figure. "Hands up!" Bradshaw called out as the small figure moved out into the middle of the street.

"Please don't shoot! I'm human." The man cried out.

"I know that! Keep em in the air!" Bradshaw yelled as he made his approach. "What are you doing in the military zone?"

"Please...I'm poor and my family is hungry. I was just trying to find something to sell..." The stranded said as Bradshaw stopped in front of him.

"Got any smokes for sell?" He asked as he looked around for more people. He looked back at the man once more and saw his outfit. It was a dirty rags for a shirt and filthy pants.

"Y-yes I do!" The stranded shuffled through his pockets and pulled out a pack. "Here, that will be twenty bucks."

Bradshaw looked at him with an eyebrow raised. "Twenty bucks?" He snatched the cigarettes and gave him a ten dollar bill. "Call it a military discount."

"Thanks!" He said as he looked over at Jordan. "Hey...hey aren't you Jordan Stevens?!" He started to walk over to him. "Yeah you are-" He was passing Baker as a sniper bullet ripped through his skull and sent blood all over Baker's face and armor with a wet splat.

"Fuck! Agh!" Baker yelled as the blood covered his face. He started to wipe it off quickly.

"Sniper!!" Mendoza called out as he jumped behind an old car with Bradshaw.

Locust fire came right after that. Bullets whizzed past a disgusted Baker as he continued to wipe his face.

"Whoa!" Baker felt himself get pulled the opposite direction and behind some debris. He looked over at Jordan. "Dude, what the fuck!?" He yelled as he continued to wipe the blood from his face. "Aw man this is sick!"

Suddenly tons of small arms fire was poured on them from down the street as tons of locusts rushed at him. "Sweet mother of fuck..." Mendoza said as he peaked out at the force that was headed at him. "There's too many!"

"Keep them busy!" Bradshaw called out as he turned his com on. "Delta One to HQ! Do you read me?"

"_Loud and clear Bradshaw! What is the problem?! What the hell have you gotten yourself into now?!" _Moore yelled over the com.

"How bout you come out and see for yourself! We need support, south east of the HQ, but take your time...it's not like I'm rushing you or anything. You know, just a bunch of locusts charging at us, armed to the teeth."

Mendoza looked at him. "I hope you don't mean that." He said before blind firing over the hood of the car.

"_Wilco Bradshaw. Hold them off and support will be there ASAP. HQ out." _

Bradshaw blind fired over the hood and looked at Mendoza with a hint of hope in his eye. "Support will be here soon. Hope they don't heed to my saying for them to not hurry." Bradshaw peaked over the cover and ducked back under.

"Me either." Mendoza said as he ducked from incoming fire.

"Come on Baker! Shut the hell up and start firing!" Jordan yelled as he fired at some charging locusts. Their bodies flopped violently back over the a crushed car and to the ground.

"Dude! I got fucking stranded blood on me!" He yelled back as he wiped his face. His hands were covered in blood as he spit.

"You're acting like he had AIDS!" Jordan said as he ducked low, reloading his rifle.

"He probably did! They are too broke to afford condoms, so I wouldn't doubt they would have AIDS out the ass! Fucking gross!"

"If they did and you got it, do you want to die later or now? I mean these locusts would love to help you out if you want to die sooner! I could even ask them you know?" Jordan blind fired at some more locusts. "I heard they take requests of how you wanna die!"

"Ok ok! Point!" Baker pulled out his magnum and took aim. He pulled the trigger and blew one's head clean off its shoulders. "Happy now?!" He yelled as he ducked once more.

"Hell yeah!" Jordan yelled as he opened fire once more at the locusts.

"I swear those two are crazy..." Mendoza said as he reloaded.

"Delta One to HQ, they have hit everything _but _me out here! Could you move your asses a bit before they fuck around and _accidentally_ shoot my ass?"

Suddenly light flooded the street was the locusts were. The air filled with the thunderous sound of the chopper's mini gun. The street turned into a big cloud of dust from the bullets hitting everything. Locusts tried to make it to cover, but were torn into bloody shreds.

"Now that is more like it." Bradshaw said as he watched the street become swiss cheese.

"_You still alive out there Bradshaw?" _Moore said through his com.

"Unfortunately for you, yes sir." Bradshaw saw as he looked at the now dead stranded. The man's head was split in two with his brain matter sprinkled on the blood red street. It was as someone had spilled a bunch of chewed bubble gum that was mixed with ketchup on the ground. It wasn't a pretty sight, but it was a known sight for Bradshaw.

"Kick fuckin ass!" Baker shouted as the bird hovered above them. "I love who ever's flyin' that shit."

Ropes came down from the bird and four more men came rushing down from the chopper to the ground with guns aimed at the street. One rushed over to Bradshaw and he knew who it was. "Hey Sarge." Forest said with a smile. "Had to pay you back for helpin' me back there at the park."

"I hope that you would have done this even if there was no park incident." Bradshaw replied with a grin. "I'm guessing this is the support?"

"Yes sir." Forest said as he looked at the street ahead of them as the dust settled. "...Clear. Delta Three to Flyboy, good shootin'. I'll buy you a brew later Mike."

"_No problem Forest. Don't get yourself killed." _

"Roger that Flyboy, Delta Three out." Forest looked back at Bradshaw as the chopper turned and made its way out of the area. "Hopefully the stranded checkpoint is still intact."

"Couldn't we have gotten a ride from Flyboy?" Bradshaw said as he stood.

Forest stood with him. "That was a quick drop off. All air units are busy transporting other troops to needed areas. Meaning that we are on foot."

"...Shit." Bradshaw cursed as he took out another cigarette and lit it up.

"Hey," Forest said with a grin. "It's not that bad, you got me to entertain you the whole way."

It was going to be a long hard road from then on…


End file.
